Temporary Euphoria
by TiffanyL
Summary: Gryffindor has just won the Quidditch Cup, and the excitement extends outside the pitch! scene from HBP told from different points of view


Disclaimer: They're not mine…but I sure love playing with them! All the credit to JKR, of course

**Romilda Vane**

I've never cared much for Quidditch. I go to all the matches and support the team, of course, but as far as painting my face and getting thrilled every time we score…not really my thing.

I will say one thing about the game, though. Harry Potter makes it more than bearable. I could watch him fly around on that broom of his all day, every day and never tire of it. The way he just seems to glide through the air with the greatest ease makes my heart all a-flutter. I would venture to say that I really only go to the games to watch him.

Which is why I was so distraught when I discovered he wasn't playing Seeker today. Imagine my disappointment when it was not the incredibly handsome Boy Who Lived searching for the Snitch, but Ginny Weasley instead. She's not nearly as much fun to watch as he is. But apparently Harry had landed himself in detention again, and was therefore unable to play in the match. Pity, too…this was the final game of the season. Apparently, that's pretty important…whoever wins gets that ridiculously coveted Cup. Ah, well.

I was excited when we won, but even more excited about the party I knew was going to be thrown in the common room, as is custom when we Gryffindors win. It would be a perfect chance to catch Harry in a euphoric state that could easily be swayed in my direction.

I ran up to my dormitory to change into a more fetching outfit than my Gryffindor garb and my mind wandered back over the past few months and my so-far unsuccessful attempts at winning Harry's affections.

I knew that Harry had had rows with Cho and they ended things last year, but I also knew that once term started, there would be many girls fighting over him—especially now that the Prophet has leaked some sort of prophecy about him being the one who will ultimately save us all. Girls and their afflictions for heroes…I knew I had to make my move quickly.

I wasted no time—I sought him out on the Hogwarts Express, and asked him to come sit with me and some friends in our compartment. After all, who would want to sit and endure an entire train ride with that crazy Loony Lovegood and ne'er-do-well Neville Longbottom. I mean, honestly. But apparently Harry likes them, and he made it quite clear to me that he would rather be with them. But I was unabashed and began to think of a different way to snatch him for myself.

Especially after I found out he was invited to the Potions professor's Christmas party, and he could invite a guest. This was a great opportunity for me to make my presence known yet again. I contacted the Weasley Wizard Wheezes shop and got myself some love potion to give to Harry. A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. I didn't know how to slip it to him, though. I got a few of my friends together in the girl's bathroom to discuss strategy and tactics. They suggested I douse some candy in the potion or put it in a drink and offer it to him one day. That sounded perfect to me, so the very next day that's precisely what I did. He turned down the gillywater, so I had to be rather forceful with a box of Chocolate Cauldrons. I made up some story about how I didn't like them and shoved them at him. He sort of spluttered at me, but he accepted them. Now all I had to do was sit back and wait. The love potions were designed so that you could make the person fall in love with specific aspects of yourself, so I made sure the potion would bring attention to my hair and basically how wonderful I am. So I just had to wait for Harry to eat a candy, come back down, and proclaim his undying love for me, and my wonderful dark hair. But that day never came. Then he asked Loony to the party instead of me.

Sigh.

But then apparently his best mate, Ron Weasley, ate one of those candies a few months later. Luckily, he was given an antidote before he could humiliate me in front of our housemates. Unfortunately, he was then poisoned and nearly died. I felt a twinge of guilt at being somewhat of an accessory to that whole scenario. But Ron recovered, and all was well again. With the exception of my love life. Harry still hadn't seen the light.

Which is why I was so determined to make him notice me this time. Gryffindor had just won the Cup, and the whole House was bustling with excitement, waiting for Harry to get out of detention and join the party. That's when I would pull out all the stops to make him see me. I made myself look as ravishing as possible, and sauntered down the dormitory steps into the common room.

After nearly half an hour perched by the window, I began to grow tired of waiting for him to show up. However, I was perfectly aligned with the portrait hole—he couldn't miss me, I would inevitably be one of the first people he would see. I refused to move from my spot, no matter how uncomfortable I was or how much I longed to sit on one of the couches by the fire.

Then, suddenly, the portrait hole flew open. I saw his black, messy hair poke through the door uncertainly. Then I remembered he would not be privy to the results of the match yet. He must be worried we lost. He took one look at Ron, who was still holding the Cup up for everyone to see. As people began to realize Harry had finally arrived, another wave of cheering went up around the common room. I kept looking at him, waiting for his gaze to pass to me. Then, finally, it seemed as if his eyes connected with mine. I got up and started walking towards him. This was it, this was my chance. He's finally seen me.

Suddenly a flash of long red hair crossed my path. I realized it was not me, but Ginny that Harry was making such strong eye contact with. Before I even had a chance to protest, Ginny started to move faster towards Harry, and he did the same. And then they were kis---they were KISSING! What on Earth?

Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley were KISSING in the middle of the Gryffindor common room, mindful of no one but each other. Suddenly I wanted to scream out in protest, I wanted to throw something, I wanted to rip them apart. Where did SHE come from? She's his best mate's little sister! Isn't there some sort of age-old law between best mates that thoroughly forbids dating—let alone snogging!—little sisters?

Obviously not.

The room went quiet rather quickly, and they suddenly seemed to remember themselves. About bloody time. The jumped apart and looked around the room, looking as though they were as surprised as we all were at what had just happened.

And then IT happened.

He finally looked at me. His eyes met my eyes. One kiss too late. It was only for a fraction of a second, but he saw me. And as soon as it was there, his gaze was gone. Back to everyone around the room until finally back to Ginny. I saw something in his face that I had never seen before.

He looked genuinely happy. That distant shadow in his eyes, the constant spot of darkness in his beautiful green eyes, had momentarily disappeared. For the first time, I saw true happiness in the eyes of Harry Potter.

And while I still wanted to throw something out the window, I knew that I never really had a chance with The Boy Who Lived. And if I did, I knew I would never bring out that glimmer of joy within him. Something deep down told me only Ginny Weasley could do that.

And then I remembered Dean Thomas. Now THERE was a good-looking guy. I wonder if I gave HIM some Chocolate Cauldrons…


End file.
